Matthias Helm was the head of the Hutterian Brethren 1701-1724. The Väterlied gives a few data of his life. He died in 1724 at the age of 87. He was chosen probational preacher 6 May 1688, and confirmed 15 March 1689, at Sobotiste; he served the brotherhood in this capacity for 36 years. He was by trade a scythe-smith.

The Väterlied gives him the tribute of having been an upright man, understanding and wise. When as an old man, oppressed by ill health, he felt his death imminent, he urged the Brethren to choose Jakob Wollmann as his successor. It is rather remarkable that in 1678 the Schadsche Chronik (Beck, Geschichts-Bücher, p. XVII) was in Helm's possession.

Since the Wolkan edition of the Geschicht-Buch closes with 1665, Beck's edition of the Geschichts-Bücher must be used for this period. The most important source is the continuation of the Väterlied, pp. 563 and 565 in Beck. The Väterlied is also in the Lieder der Hutterischen Brüder (Scottdale, 1914: 878.) The Klein-Geschichtsbuch (Philadelphia, 1947) does not mention him at all.